Inflammatory mediator antagonists

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods of reducing cartilage degradation in a patient comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of an antibody antagonist to the mature form of OSM.

1. A method of reducing cartilage degradation in a patient comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of an anti-OSM antagonist antibody to the mature form of SEQ ID NO:12, wherein said antibody reduces the TNFα secretion from macrophages in said patient and interacts with at least one of the residues selected from the group consisting of: G120, Q16, Q20, N123 and N124 of the mature form of SEQ ID NO:12. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein said patient suffers from an inflammatory disorder selected from the group consisting of: rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, juvenile arthritis, inflammatory osteoarthritis, reactive arthritis, Crohns disease, ulcerative colitis, gastritis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and psoriasis. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the anti-OSM antagonist antibody is an antibody of the receptor gp130 (type II) of human oncostatin M as set forth in the mature form of SEQ ID NO:12. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the antibody is humanized or chimerized. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the anti-OSM antagonist antibody further prevents or reduces collagen release from cartilage. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 2  wherein said disorder is rheumatoid arthritis. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein the antibody is administered alone. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein the antibody is administered in combination with an immunosuppressive agent. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  wherein the antibody is administered subcutaneously.